APC Gains More Ground as Senate Names Nwoye Minority Whip Amid Fresh Defections

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday appointed Tony Nwoye as the new Minority Whip following a fresh wave of defections that has further strengthened the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upper chamber

Nwoye, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District, was unanimously selected by the minority caucus to replace his predecessor after recent political realignments within the opposition ranks.

His emergence comes shortly after former Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. In a letter read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Ngwu attributed his decision to the need to align with Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and President Bola Tinubu, describing the APC as the most stable political platform in the country.

Nwoye was elected into the Senate in 2023 under the Labour Party before defecting to the African Democratic Congress in late 2025, placing him within the opposition bloc prior to his latest appointment.

In a related development, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro (Gombe South) also defected from the PDP to the APC, citing internal crises within the opposition party. Similarly, Senator Aliyu Wadada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, formally announced his defection from the Social Democratic Party to the APC.

Wadada, who has been endorsed as the APC consensus governorship candidate for Nasarawa State ahead of the 2027 elections, said his move completes his alignment with the ruling party.

Reacting to the developments, Senator Adams Oshiomhole commended the lawmakers, describing their defections as voluntary and consistent with constitutional provisions.

He noted that the growing number of defections reflects increasing confidence in the APC leadership and the administration.

With the latest crossovers, the APC’s strength in the Senate has risen to 91 lawmakers, further consolidating its dominance as political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.